‘Galamsey Queen’ loses bail application

The Criminal High Court 3 presided over by Justice Iddirsu Abdulai has dismissed a bail variation application for portions of the bail conditions imposed by a sister court on the so-called Galamsey Queen Aisha Huang and four others.

The High Court presided over by Justice Charles Edward Ekow Baiden at the time of granting the accused person bail ordered that they report to the Police Headquarters twice a week even though the accused persons are living in Kumasi.

In their Application, the accused persons were praying the Court to allow them to report to the Police Regional Command in Kumasi in the Ashanti Regional instead of commuting twice a week to Accra just to report themselves to the Police.

Delivering his ruling in court today, Justice Iddirsu Abdulai’s noted that the applicant failed to demonstrate that the bail conditions imposed on them has brought any hardship on them.

The court said it expected the applicants to have presented evidence such as hotel bills or air travel receipts to show that they are indeed burdened by the bail conditions.

The court on the basis of its argument for want of compelling evidence dismissed the bail variation application.

The Chinese lady, popularly known as Aisha Huang, and four other Chinese nationals, were arrested by the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) in Kumasi and brought to Accra for trial following suspicion that they were illegally operating a mining concession.

She was granted bail by the court in June 2017 in the sum of GH¢500,000 with two sureties to be justified.